China announced Thursday that a Chinese company will boost tourism by offering cruises around the contested South China Sea and buy eight new ships over the next five years for that purpose. The state-owned China Daily said Sanya International Cruise Development Co. Ltd. will buy between five and eight ships and build four cruise liner docks in Sanya, a Chinese resort city on the island province of Hainan. Liu Junli, chairman of Sanya International Cruise, said the company already operates the "Dream of the South China Sea" cruise ship and plans to add another cruise ships by next summer, the report said.

Fabunan, S. S. D. (2016, July 22). China defiant, offers cruises on disputed sea. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.